We’ve only got a few more magical weeks of summer left in 2025, so it’s key to soak in and enjoy every minute. And the best place to do just that is in one sunny, West Coast city.
In early June, BetMGM Casino released its list of the best “feel-good” cities for summer as part of its seasonal city entertainment analysis. The list ranked 15 popular U.S. cities based on a handful of key metrics that make a destination fun, including the number of outdoor dining venues available, the number of nature trails, ice cream stores, dog parks, swimming pools, wellness events, sunshine hours, summer temperatures, and the number of live music events scheduled between June and August 2025.
After reviewing all the available information, Los Angeles was named the No. 1 feel-good city in the nation.
“Los Angeles, famous for its gorgeous beaches, Hollywood stars, and palm trees, is the ultimate destination to take in some feel-good vibes this summer,” the findings revealed. “You only need to glimpse the city to see its beautiful mix of urban city, greenery, and sandy beaches.”
The team noted that Los Angeles offers travelers pristine summer weather, thanks to its average temperature of 73.4, and with 986 hours of sunshine throughout the season. It’s also a great place to find a little zen thanks to its 240 wellness facilities, including yoga, dance classes, and Reiki sessions.
“This city offers plenty of swimming pools for those particularly warm days, and hundreds of parks to explore with an ice cream,” it added. “It’s no wonder L.A. ranks first on this list. The city is set up to feel like a California dream.”
However, East Coasters aren’t far behind on the fun, with New York City ranking as No. 2 on the list. “America’s most famous city is best known for its iconic landmarks, food, and entertainment. While it’s a huge hotspot for tourists during Christmas, it’s also a fantastic city vacation spot for summer, filled with activities and healthy living,” the team stated in the findings. They also noted that the city ranked so highly thanks to its “fantastic amount of summer-friendly facilities for its incredible population size of over 8 million people.” It too has plenty of sunshine over the season, 800 hours in total, and “is fantastic for exploring over 304 miles of nature trails, and has 107 ice cream stores within 1 mile of the city’s very center.”
Joining these two at the top of the list is Chicago at No. 3, followed by San Diego and Denver, rounding out the top five.
See the full rankings and where else you can experience a feel-good summer for the next few weeks at casino.betmgm.com.